Open Media Boston's posts

BOSTON/Back Bay - Protesters converged on the Max Brenner chocolate restaurant on Valentine's Day. Approximately 50 human rights demonstrators picketed the Israeli-owned company at its location on Boylston St., Boston. Activists from the Northeastern University Chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine called the demonstration to highlight the support Max Brenner's parent-company, called Strauss Group, has for the Israeli Defense Forces, and in-particular the Golani Brigade. The action was a part of the worldwide Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) campaign against the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The three goals of BDS are an end to the occupation of Palestinian territories, full equality for all citizens of Israel, and the right of return for refugees displaced in the conflict.

BOSTON/Government Center—With $1 trillion in potential budget cuts that would devastate social programs and adversely effect economic recovery looming on March 1st, a group of Boston community activists and residents took to the JFK Federal Building to present freshman Senators William “Mo” Cowan (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) with giant Valentine’s Day cards on Thursday imploring them to do what they can to head off the heavy-handed “sequestration” cuts that become law on March 1st, while protecting medicare, medicaid and vital social programs, cutting defense spending and ending the war in Afghanistan immediately.

The “Have a Heart” rally was sponsored by the coalition Budget for All, along with the Mass. Alliance of HUD Tenants, American Federation of Government Employees Local 3258, City Life/Vida Urbana and New England United for Justice, among others. The coalition is advocating for the implementation of the "Budget for All", a nonbinding referendum which passed in all 91 Bay State communities where it appeared on the ballot by a three-to-one margin, calling on President Obama and Congress to prevent cuts to Social Security, housing and other vital programs, create and protect jobs, raise revenues by closing tax loopholes, restoring higher tax rates on the top two percent and reduce Pentagon spending to fund domestic needs.

The rally began around 12:30 p.m., in front of the federal building at Government Center, with a group leading a sing-along of popular rock standards—such as Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” and The Beatles’ “All We Need is Love”—with lyrics altered for the occasion.